This may hit you in the face, so put your seat belt on!
And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
(Mark 6:30-31)
This is the way ministry can be. Ministers are denying their spouses, families, and vacation time away from the church and time away from the ministry.
These ministers have the wrong idea. They think they are going to save everyone by themselves. That is ego going somewhere to happen.
You need to take your vacations, and you need to take your family somewhere. That church or ministry will run without you. I know it is hard to conceive that the people, or that the ministry, or that God can get anything done without you, but they can! I know it is very difficult for you to accept that.
Plan Your Time With Your Family Each Year
The first thing I put on my calendar every year is my vacations. If I don’t, I wouldn’t ever get one – never in life! There is something to do all the time; it seems like someone needs help 24 hours a day.
I cannot solve all their problems. God never said that Fred Price was the need-provider. The Word says “My God shall supply…” (Phil. 4:19). It does not say Fred Price will supply. You have to turn people over to God.
Yes, you have a responsibility to your flock, but Jesus never said anything about holding folks in your arms. He said, “Feed my sheep and feed my lambs.” That is all He said to do. And you are trying to hold up people and carry the whole burden of your congregation.
When this happens, you end up being God for them, and then you get them hooked on you. And when you do get out of pocket – out of reach – they can’t function. They are out of it, because their dependence has always been on you.
You do all their praying; you do all their interceding; you are the ears that always listen to their problems. Let them talk to God; He is the problem-solver.
You cannot always know everyone in your church. If you want to know everyone by name in your church, then prepare to have a small church – very small!
Learn how to rest. When I have a day off, I take the telephone off the hook. I unplug it. If I go to hotels, I unplug the phones. If I do not have the kind of phone in the room that you can unplug, I take the receiver off the hook.
Someone is always calling about something. You will be up all day and all night, so learn how to take some time off with your spouse. That is why God gave you a helpmeet to be your companion and helper.
by Frederick K.C. Price
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Apostle Frederick K.C. Price is the founder of Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) in Los Angeles, California. He began CCC in 1973 and shepherded it into a ministry of world renown, with services held in the 10,000-seat FaithDome.
In 1978, Apostle Price received instruction from God to begin a television broadcast and, as a result, Ever Increasing Faith Ministries (EIFM) began broadcasting in five major television markets. Thus, the television broadcast soon after became global.
EIFM can be viewed on many television stations in all 50 states and in many foreign countries. Apostle Price is also heard on numerous radio programs and 19 Internet broadcast stations. Additionally, he can be seen on most social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and others. In 1990, Apostle Price founded the Fellowship of Inner-City Word of Faith Ministries (FICWFM), which later became the Fellowship of International Christian Word of Faith Ministries before disbanding in 2017. And in 2001, he established an East Coast church, Crenshaw Christian Center East.
A visionary and prolific author, Apostle Price is the author of some 50 books on faith, healing, prosperity, and the Holy Spirit. How Faith Works is a classic on the operation of faith and its life-changing principles.
Although he had already operated in the fivefold ministry gift of apostle, in 2008 Apostle Price was publicly affirmed as an apostle of faith. Under the mantle of the teaching gift, Apostle Price established several schools for ministry and formal education at CCC. Among them are Frederick K.C. Price III Christian Schools (preschool to 12th grade); the Ministry Training Institute in 1985; a CCC Correspondence School; the Frederick K.C. Price School of the Bible; and in 2008, the Apostle Price Ministry Training Center. Over the years, Apostle Price has received many prestigious awards, most notably the Horatio Alger Award and the Kelly Miller Smith Interfaith Award.
A year after his affirmation and after more than 35 years of service, Apostle Price stepped aside as pastor to formally install his son, Frederick K. Price Jr., as his successor. For years he served as the presiding prelate of both CCC West and CCC East and as the chairman of CCC’s board of directors. Having retired from his position as pastor and all other official duties, he restricts much of his travel.
A devout husband, Apostle Price has been married to Dr. Betty Price for 67 years. They are the proud parents of four children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.